Lyrics

[Verse 1] Oh, it's down the glen came McAlpine's men With a shovel slung behind them 'Twas in the pub a-they drank the sub And up in the spike you'll find them They sweated blood and they washed down mud With pints and a quart of beer And now we're on the road again With McAlpine's Fusiliers [Verse 2] I stripped to the skin with Darky Fynn Way down upon the Isle of Grain With Horseface Toole that I knew the rule No money if you stop for rain McAlpine's God was a well filled hod Your shoulders cut to bits and seared And woe to hе, well, to look for tea With McAlpine's Fusiliеrs [Verse 3] I remember the day that the Bear O'Shea Fell into a concrete stairs What Horseface said when he saw him dead Well, it wasn't what the rich call prayers "I'm a navvy short" was the one retort That reached unto my ears When the going is rough, well you must be tough With McAlpine's Fusiliers [Verse 4] I've worked 'till a sweat has had me bet With Russian, Czech and Pole On shuttering jams up in the hydro dams Or underneath the Thames in a hole I've grafted hard and I've got me cards And many a ganger's fist across me ears If you pride your life, don't join by Christ With McAlpine's Fusiliers